Thursday, July 14, 2011

When to stick

What's the worst thing about a career in broadcast news? News Directors who channel Lord Voldemort? Schlepping your own gear in the heat or cold? Long hours and low pay?

Nope.

The answer can be found in my cell phone bill.

99 percent of the calls to my friends are out of state. My closest friend lives two hours away.

For most people in the business, it's the life of a nomad. You put your life on hold until you reach your goal. Meet a great guy or gal? Sorry, not in this market. Work in a great place to live? Nah, it's a small market and the money's not great. Got a great work environment and a boss who loves you? Not far enough up the ladder.

Life rarely goes as we plan. And, as they say in baseball, sometimes the best trades are the ones you don't make.

Sometimes you get lucky and land on a very nice rung on the ladder. Might not be the top rung but it's comfortable. The ND is a human being who isn't going anywhere. The company is solid and actually cares about employees. The town is nice. The people in the newsroom are competent and have become your friends. The photogs are world class.

And yet you're still sending out resume tapes.

Sometimes you need to step back. Sometimes you need to stick.

Nothing wrong with making a solid yet unspectacular career in a nice place with decent money and little stress. You might be trading a good situation for everything you hate.

Market size won't keep you warm at night. Neither will a paycheck.

If you land on a comfortable rung, think about staying. Imagine life without sending resume tapes, checking job listings every single day. Imagine life without packing boxes in the attic. Imagine being comfortable.

If you have that, think about sticking. It might actually be the top rung in the ladder, but you just don't know it.


TVNEWSGRAPEVINE, copyright 2011 © Randy Tatano

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